Derby County: Wayne Rooney hails 'proudest moment' after Carabao Cup win over Salford City

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, Debutant Festy Ebosele was a threat to Salford down the right-hand side

Wayne Rooney hailed Derby's win over Salford City in the Carabao Cup as his "proudest moment" since becoming manager of the Championship club.

The Rams won 5-3 on penalties after the game at Pride Park ended 3-3.

Rooney, whose side have been subject to a transfer embargo, named four teenagers in his starting line-up.

Jack Stretton and Festy Ebosele, both 19, were both given their first senior starts, while 17-year-old Dylan Williams made his second appearance.

The more experienced Louie Sibley, also 19, made up the quartet.

"That's the proudest moment for me since I've been at Derby County as manager," Rooney told 大象传媒 Radio Derby.

"Staying up (last season) was a massive achievement, but to see some of these young lads grow from the first minute, I've almost seen them go from under-23 football to men's football in 90 minutes, so I'm delighted."

Right-back Ebosele caught the eye with a man-of-the-match performance.

"I'm asking the full-backs (when we're) in possession to be wingers and we're working constantly with him, from a defensive point of view, on his fitness, because when you get up there, you've got to get back," said Rooney.

"But it was a well deserved man of the match, I thought he was a threat all night, caused them massive problems. He's got those attributes and if we can get the best out of him, he's going to be some player."

Derby were 2-1 down after only 14 minutes, but fought their way into the game and there was a big moment for recently signed midfielder Ravel Morrison, whose 25-yard shot made it 3-3.

It was his first goal for the club and his first in English football since scoring for QPR against Nottingham Forest in April 2014.

"I knew the first 20 minutes was going to be difficult, some of the lads were playing their first game in front of a crowd, I knew set-pieces were going to be a problem as we were a very small team," Rooney added.

"I spoke to them at half-time, I said 'trust me, play the way we want you to play and you'll win the game. You'll make them run, you'll confuse them' and I thought we did that excellently. Second half we were very, very good and fully deserved to win the game."